Denver could lose this one
As many of you know, I am a Florida girl and simply love the state in which I live. Seven generations of my family have called Florida home and my son is the 8th one. But, if I had to pick a state which I would be comfortable in and I love almost as much as Florida, it would be Colorado. (We won't discuss the differences here since this is about animals.)
The only down side to Colorado as far as pets go, is the horrendous pit bull ban Denver enacted in 1989. Any dog who was a pit bull or was perceived to be a pit bull in the city could be taken from your home and killed, simply due to the ban. Many people moved out of the city because they would not give up their pet. An underground railroad was started to get dogs to safe spots before the city od Denver could remove then for euthanization. Now mind you, the dog didn't have to do anything wrong. Simply because some yahoo who thought it was a pitbull, they could take your dog from your home and kill it, and you had no recourse. The court system gave them that right. Since the original ruling it is estimated 1,100 dogs have been killed due to this law.
This battle has been raging since in the courts of Colorado. When it finally made it to the United States District Court for the District of Colorado the case was dismissed. The plaintiffs appealed to the Tenth Circuit.
Now, finally, the Tenth Circuit reversed the District Court for dismissing the plaintiffs’ substantive due process claim at such an early stage of the litigation and they have a court case. Now the case will go back to the District Court to be heard.
It is not the perfect option, but at least it is an option. The Animal Legal Defense Fund has an article on exactly what the court said. You can read it here.
The only down side to Colorado as far as pets go, is the horrendous pit bull ban Denver enacted in 1989. Any dog who was a pit bull or was perceived to be a pit bull in the city could be taken from your home and killed, simply due to the ban. Many people moved out of the city because they would not give up their pet. An underground railroad was started to get dogs to safe spots before the city od Denver could remove then for euthanization. Now mind you, the dog didn't have to do anything wrong. Simply because some yahoo who thought it was a pitbull, they could take your dog from your home and kill it, and you had no recourse. The court system gave them that right. Since the original ruling it is estimated 1,100 dogs have been killed due to this law.
This battle has been raging since in the courts of Colorado. When it finally made it to the United States District Court for the District of Colorado the case was dismissed. The plaintiffs appealed to the Tenth Circuit.
Now, finally, the Tenth Circuit reversed the District Court for dismissing the plaintiffs’ substantive due process claim at such an early stage of the litigation and they have a court case. Now the case will go back to the District Court to be heard.
It is not the perfect option, but at least it is an option. The Animal Legal Defense Fund has an article on exactly what the court said. You can read it here.
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